AT&T announced that Iowa's governor Terry Branstad has signed into law a new measure designed to streamline and standardise rules and so accelerate the deployment of small cell technology to help support the next generation of high-speed wireless services in Iowa.
AT&T noted that small cell technology will be an integral building block for future 5G wireless broadband connectivity. The compact small cells are antennas that can be affixed to existing structures such as traffic signals, buildings and street lights. The size and flexibility of small cells can help target areas that require additional capacity in a cost-efficient way.
Small cells are designed to enable faster wireless Internet speeds, provide increased and more targeted network coverage to support demanding applications such as streaming content and provide the foundation for future technologies including 5G, smart cities and connected vehicles.
AT&T stated that it invested nearly $150 million in its Iowa wireless and wired networks from 2014-16 on upgrades to improve network reliability, coverage, speed and performance for consumer and business customers. In 2016, AT&T noted that it implemented over 350 wireless network upgrades in the state, including the addition of new cell sites and adding capacity on existing cell sites.
